Students Learning

Specialist Classes

In 2025, the specialist teachers will be teaching the following and students will have these lessons weekly.

Music/drama

Physical Education

Library - literacy

Library - History - developing research skills

STEM

Visual Arts

We will also be introducing an Enrichment Program, for students who require further challenges in their learning. This will take place on a Friday and the students for this program will be selected based on their classroom results and data collected by the school.

CAPTIVATE Band Program

We are very excited that in 2025, St Margaret Mary's will be introducing a classroom band program for all students in years four and five that will occur within school hours. This program will allow students to learn to play an instrument and read music in a band setting developing their ensemble awareness and skills. This program will be delivered by CAPTIVATE, the creative and performing arts unit for the Diocese of Parramatta.

The cost for the year will be $120 per student in years four and five and this includes hire of the instrument for the year and weekly lessons.

The CAPTIVATE Band program will run weekly for 40 mins for students in years four and five in 2025 and will be delivered by CSPD CAPTIVATE teachers and tutors. The classroom teacher will be with the class. The CAPTIVATE staff are highly qualified and experienced, teaching in many of our schools across the diocese.

The program will start in the week beginning the 17th February 2025. Students will begin with a drumming program for six weeks to build their rhythmic and ensemble understanding. They will then have a demonstration of the instruments that they can select from keeping in mind that there is an allocated number of each instrument to create a balanced band.

The instruments are as follows:

Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Alto Saxophone, Baritone, Percussion and Bass Guitar.

Students will then complete a form identifying four instruments that they would like to be considered for in their order of preference.

The CAPTIVATE teacher will then allocate instruments based on this and the number available for each class.

In 2026, the year six students will be able to continue the program if they wish to continue learning the instrument in a user pay small group lesson. More information will follow towards the end of 2025.

Dance Troupe

Next year we will commence a Dance Troupe. The Dance Troupe will take place before school for students who would like to be involved. The dance troupe students will take part in performances and eisteddfods. More information to follow in the new year.

Choir 

The choir will continue in 2025 and will take part in performances and masses.